*Every $ donated will go to HAAM (Health Alliance for Austin Musicians), a group which provides healthcare services to Austin musicians*
In the end, we humans are not defined by the things we own. All the signifiers of success -- the inflated bank account, the triple-decker condo in Barbados -- we can't take them with us. We're judged not by what we kept for ourselves, but what we gave to others. The world pays lip service to this selflessness, but to truly find it in a human is rare. That person who makes you better, who makes the world better. Who shares everything they have, without regard for repayment, without a need to be spotlighted for their generosity.
Willis McClung was such a man -- a profoundly talented musician, tinkerer, sailor, humorist, songwriter, carpenter, dancer, and bringer of good vibes. He shone love and shared it with most everybody he met, unless they were pretentious or stuck-up — those folks he ribbed and prodded until, usually, they decided to join in the fun.
He relentlessly wrote and recorded music through his brief 34 years. This record represents the first collection of Willis’ recorded material. These were culled from old email attachments, reclaimed hard drives, and other odd corners of the internet. What a wondrous collection — a compelling portrait of a supremely talented, humorous, big hearted man who had so much love to give, and he used his time here on earth to its best purpose.
released October 3, 2018
Willis played most everything. Michael Baird played piano on the Randy Newman songs.
Other contributors include: Paul Price, Ross Gillian, John Kolar, Will Patterson, Austin Leonard Jones, Joey Koehl, Annie Sykes, Bill Baird, Sam Sanford and Michael Bain.
Mastered by Quentin Stoltzfus
'Water Voices' and 'Shoney's' originally appeared on the Sleep Good album 'Skyclimber':
sleepgood.bandcamp.com/album/skyclimber
Cover songs:
Simon Smith and His Dancing Bear (Randy Newman)
Sweeping Up the Neighborhood (Mac DeMarco)
Water Voices (Will Patterson)
Valley Pines and No Bedroom (Austin Leonard Jones)
Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day (Doug Sahm)
This album was made possible by the generous support of these Producers:
Maverick Fisher; Michael, Mallory and Wesley Baird; Jordan, Taylor and Davey Johns; Emily Ritz; Morgan Pollitt; Jaime Lovell; Michael Landon;
Mac Altgelt; Wes Mayo; James Vives; Susan and Ernie Altgelt; Jordan Vexler and Albert Shannon; Gabe Pearlman; Clint Beckwith;
Matthew March; Margaret McClung; Rich and Trish Simonite; Brian Ballantyne; Sara Katz; Kacey Johansing; Jacey Little Morris;
Paul and Ashley Price; Will and Samantha Bader; Caroline Berler; Trey McGaughy
And extra special mega producers John and Mary McClung and Craig & Shelly